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Got a little train lover in your life? If so, a train birthday party can be really special for him or her. You can really play up the theme to make it unforgettable.

Do you have a working train near where you live? See if they offer rides for kids. Most times, any working trains do offer rides at special times. You may have to work your party around those times, but imagine the guests’ faces when they see that they are about to embark on a real train. If your train line allows you to bring a party on board, you’re all set. In some areas, Thomas the Train comes to town at different times of the year. See if you can book your party during those times.

If you don’t have a working train in your area, do you have a train museum? That’s the next best thing. If they have a party room, you can bring your whole group, cake and birthday gifts there and also get a tour of the museum. Short of that, you can have your party at home and still make it exciting and interesting.

Trains are your main theme, so you have to have a train cake. Ask your bakery to build one for you. Nowadays, bakeries do all sorts of 3D cakes, so see if you can get them to do at least the first car on a track.

Another cute idea is to make train cupcakes decorated like cars and then line them up on real toy train tracks across a table or in a circular track. Kids will love it.

If you have toy trains all over your house, make a working toy train track setup as your centerpiece. You can run the trains around the track while the party is going. Have trains as your party favors. Get little trains at a dollar store. As an activity, you can purchase pine wood trains and have the guests paint them and let them take them home as favors.

There’s so much more you can do to carry out the train theme. Have everyone come dressed in overalls and give out engineer hats, which you can find online by the dozen cheaply. Play Thomas the Train videos in a continuous loop in the background.

When it’s time to eat, have train shaped sandwiches. These are easy to do with a big train cookie cutter. Just make peanut butter and jelly or cheese sandwiches and then cut them with the cutter. You can, of course, do any kind of sandwich you like, but stick to ones that kids will be most likely to eat without complaint.

The more you put into your train party theme, the better it will all come off. Sing train songs and pretend you’re a big train by having everyone join together in a long line and jog around the room. Make train noises, see who can imitate a train whistle, and just generally make the train theme come alive by moving the party along in interesting ways.

A child who loves trains will go crazy for a train theme. And chances are, he or she will get many train related gifts, so be prepared for lots of oohing and ahhing as presents are opened.

Related Articles:

Thomas The Train Birthday Party Theme

Train Themed Shower Favors

Have you ever wondered why some parties just seem better than others? Maybe it has something to do with the décor. The decorations can really set the mood for a party. Whether it’s something you have brought in or you make it by hand, the possibilities are endless for what you can use to liven up a party and set the tone.

Consider that your centerpieces are what most people are going to be staring at while they sit at their tables to eat, talk, and relax. If you have fantastic centerpieces, you’ll really get everyone’s attention. If they’re fun, whimsical, and people are allowed to take them home, so much the better.

One way you can create centerpieces that really catch your guests’ eyes is to make candy bouquets. These fun little creations are easy to create, have a low cost, and people love them.

There are several ways to create these darling little candy treasures. One way is to gather them into a bunch and everyone can take home their own little bouquet at the end of the party. Another is to make them into free-standing bouquets that are placed in a mug, vase, votive holder, or other container. Either way, they’re festive and will serve their purpose well as a much admired centerpiece.

To make a candy bouquet that your guests can hold in their hands is easy. You’re going to need lots of candies. Hard candies, mini chocolates, lifesavers, and other small edibles in wrappers are the things that will work best. You need to leave them in the wrapper, so choose a candy that looks good while wrapped and also is recognizable and easy to work with. Nothing too gummy or gooshy, unless you want to use individually wrapped larger gummy bears.

Wrap some wooden skewers or lollipop sticks with floral tape. You can find this green tape in craft stores. You’ll also need some green felt to make leaves with. For each stem that you wrap, you’re going to need two leaves. You’ll want to adhere those leaves to the stem with a hot glue gun. Next, take one piece of candy for each stem and using hot glue, glue just the bottom of the candy to the stem. When you are done, it will look like a flower on a stem. The idea is to bunch up several of these to create a bouquet that guests can take home.

The other step you can do is to create each flower and then stick it into a piece of Styrofoam or floral oasis. The piece of Styrofoam should be anchored in a cup, mug, or votive holder. This is intended to be a takeaway for your guests exactly as they are (as opposed to taking a free standing bouquet).

Candy bouquets are ideal as they are easy to make. You can form a little assembly line and get them all done easily. If you have a friend or two to help you, set up stations. One person can do the leaves and stems, another the adhering of the candy, and the other can do the assembling of the bouquets.

Set them out on tables at your next party and just watch the smiles on your guests’ faces. Then watch those smiles get even bigger when they find out they can take home their own little thank you candy bouquet. It’s worth the effort to create these darling centerpieces.

Themed parties are always so much fun. Everyone gets into the spirit when there’s one cohesive décor and everything works together. Before you select a theme for your child’s birthday party, read a few friendly suggestions.

• Let your child guide the theme. If they love Hershey bars, who’s to say they can’t have a Hershey chocolate themed party including a Hershey's candy bar cake? Even if you had your heart set on Strawberry Shortcake, your little lady may want baseball or soccer as her theme. Your child will love her or his party if it goes along with their tastes and likes. Put your own suggestions to bed and let your child decide (within reason).

• Suggest some ideas for your child to select from. If you know your child loves fish, ask if she wants a Nemo birthday party, a Mermaid birthday party, or a SpongeBob birthday party. She may surprise you and want a Starfish party, but guiding her along will help her to visualize what she sees as the perfect event.

• Don’t go crazy with the theme. If your son loves monkeys, go with a jungle theme and include monkeys. Don’t feel you have to have a monkey on every napkin, cup and surface that isn’t nailed down. Suggest the theme with a monkey cake, some stuffed jungle animals and maybe some cake plates that feature monkeys.

• Where you have the party will also have an impact on the theme. If you’re already having it at a kids’ place or themed restaurant, you don’t need to add much more. Maybe select a color for the plates and cups and napkins if you’re bringing them. Otherwise, just let the venue provide their normal birthday party fare and don’t step in.

• Small children have no idea what a theme is. If you’ve got one under three, they probably won’t know the difference between a Star Wars party and a Lego party. You can do either and make him happy. It’s having family and friends around—and lots of cake—that matter at the younger ages.

• Before planning a theme party for a tween or teen, ask them specifically what they want. There’s nothing more embarrassing to a young person than having a theme that’s too kiddie-like. Don’t have a Tweety birthday party for a 13 year old. Cars in general for a boy or flowers for a girl should work just fine. If they happen to love a character like Hello Kitty and are still happy to show it, then by all means, have a Hello Kitty party.

• Don’t make kids come in costume to match your theme. They may not want to get dressed up, depending on how old they are. You can suggest to any moms that you are having a themed party and if they want to dress up, it will add to the fun. Or, give out cowboy hats for a Western party or masks for a Super Hero party. Limit the dressing up to a simple item that you provide.

• No matter how good your theme is, the party needs a specific start and end time. Never leave a birthday party time open on the invitation. Writing “3:00 till ??” can mean you’ll have people there well through dinner time.

Remember when everyone owned a fondue pot? That was back in the days of the 1970's when no party was complete without a cheese or chocolate fondue. Couples would get four or five fondue pots as wedding gifts. Well, guess what? The fondue is back and it’s even more popular than it ever was. Why not throw a chocolate fondue dessert party?

If you’re lucky enough to visit New York City or live nearby, you’ll find a restaurant called La Fondue. They serve nothing but fondues of every type. And the most popular are the chocolate fondues. Each table that orders one gets a steaming Sterno-lit fondue pot, skewers and bits of cake, strawberries, and banana bread to dip. What could possibly be more fun to eat?

You can include a fondue at your next party. You really should have a fondue pot. You can get them for about $20 online or in discount stores. The reason you need one is because the little burner that comes with it keeps the fondue melted at the perfect temperature. No scorching or burning. And you’ll have all the right skewers and the pot is the exact right size for dipping and making gourmet desserts.

If you’ve never had a fondue pot before, it’s simple. You toss in the chocolate and the other ingredients and you light the burner. That’s it. When it’s melted, you dip. Leave the flame on and enjoy dipping until it’s all gone.

Extraordinary (and Simple) Chocolate Fondue Recipe

Extremechocolate.com

16 ounces dark, sweet or semi-sweet chocolate

1 1/2 cups light cream

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Break chocolate squares into smaller pieces and drop them into the fondue pot.

2. Add cream (which will prevent the chocolate from going lumpy) and stir gently but constantly until the chocolate is melted and smooth.

3. Add vanilla extract, and stir it in.

4. Use a fondue fork to spear the fruit, then dip it in the chocolate. Enjoy!

For some other variations on a basic chocolate fondue recipe, add:

• Some chopped gourmet nuts: pecans, almonds, walnuts, and hazelnuts all work well.
• A tablespoon of instant coffee granules or cappuccino
• Your favorite syrup flavor

Chocolate Fondue Recipe

Simplyrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS

• 12 ounces of dark chocolate (chips or roughly chopped if from a block)
• 8 ounces of heavy cream
• A pinch of salt
• Dippables such as strawberries, banana pieces cut into 1-inch chunks, dried apricots, candied ginger, apple pieces

1) Warm the cream over moderate heat until tiny bubbles show and begins to lightly and slowly boil. Add the chocolate and whisk until smooth and fully incorporated.

2) Immediately transfer to a fondue pot heated at low or with a low flame, or serve straight from the pot.

3) Arrange the dippables on a platter or plates around the chocolate pot. Use a fondue fork, bamboo skewer, seafood fork, or salad fork to dip the fruit pieces and other dippables into the hot melted cream chocolate mixture. Eat immediately.

If the fondue begins to feel a little stiff, add a tablespoon of heavy cream and stir. It will help it go a little longer. Eventually, it will cook down though and you may need to start a new pot.

Variations

Add a tablespoon or two of Bailey's Irish Cream to the chocolate. Other liquors such as Grand Marnier, Amaretto, or Kirsch are equally yummy.

Add a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and ancho chili pepper for a nice Mexican Chocolate.

The contents of a vanilla pod or some vanilla extract are always a decadent touch to chocolate.

A good pinch of espresso powder can do wonders!

Orange zest or grapefruit zest is nice way to create a slightly fruity chocolate.

A few tablespoons of Torani flavoring syrups (the kind used for coffee or Italian sodas) can add a nice dimension of flavor as well.

White chocolate is always a nice change, and spiked with a little liquor or citrus zest becomes heavenly.

Steeping the cream for an hour beforehand and while heating it can add a nice subtle flavor, lemongrass for white chocolate or a bag of Earl Grey tea for dark chocolate are particularly stylish and contemporary.

Want more chocolate dessert ideas? Try this article on White Chocolate: Cookies, Cakes, And More Desserts.

Your little superhero can leap block buildings in a single bound, is faster than a 2 ½ mile per hour speeding ride-on, stronger than flimsy plastic toys, and messier than ten normal children.  The life of a superhero is never dull – especially for his parents.  If your birthday boy has enough energy for the entire Justice League and a love for all things superhero, then why not give him a party that even Clark Kent would change into his blue tights for?  Here are some ideas for making a superhero birthday party as fantastic as all your child’s favorite characters.

Holy birthday party, Batman, it’s time to get going!  The first step in planning the party is to talk with your child about what he (or she!) would like.  Does he like a particular superhero, like Superman or Wolverine, or does he just like the overall idea of powerful beings with superhuman powers?  This will guide your planning, decorations, menu, activities, birthday gifts and cake decisions.

If your child has a particular hero in mind, the first step is to find invitations.  You can go on sites like Bonanza.com and find invitations featuring your child’s favorite characters.  You can have personalized invitations, which include your child’s name and age, party date and time, location, and RSVP phone number, printed.  These cost about $1.25 each, so they would be ideal for smaller parties.  You can always find fill-in-the-blank style invitations at party supply stores.  You can also find free, printable templates online.

A superhero party demands super decorations.  You can buy party supplies for a specific hero or a more general theme, or you could go with a less expensive option.  Instead of buying a ready-made party pack, focus your decorations around the colors that distinguish the superhero.  Superman, for instance, is bold blue, red, and gold.  Batman is dramatic black and yellow.  Buy streamers and balloons in these colors, and mix in a few character-themed Mylar balloons, which can double as party favors.

Don’t forget the bad guys.  Find pictures of the superheroes’ arch enemies online and print them as Wanted posters.

You can add to the festive atmosphere by buying a few yards of fabric in your superhero’s trademark color (red or blue always work for a generic hero).  You can cut these to size, get some clothespins, and have the kids make their own capes.  Get some construction paper or paper plates, yarn, and markers, and have them make their masks.  This helps with the ambiance as well as giving the children an activity.

Train your future superheroes with an obstacle course.  Include a play tunnel or large cardboard box with the bottom cut out for them to crawl through, painted cereal boxes to be buildings for them to leap over, a chalk or tape line as a tightrope, hula hoops as windows to be jumped into or out of, and whatever other child-friendly obstacles you can think of.  At the end, have a stuffed buddy that needs rescuing.

For the menu, freeze colored juice or water with food coloring in ice cube trays.  Serve a clear drink, like Sprite or water, and let the kids pick their own colored cubes.  You can tell them that the cubes give them superpowers.  You don’t have to plan a special menu, but make the food you do have more heroic.  Sandwiches, for instance, can be cut into bat shapes.  Cookies can be cut into diamond-shaped Superman emblems and decorated with icing or edible markers.

At last, it’s time for the cake.  You can have a baker create a superhero cake with a mold or on a sheet cake with icing, or you could tackle the project yourself.  Bake a regular sheet cake.  When it is completely cool, carve it into a diamond shape and then ice.  With some colored icing, you have a great Superman insignia.  You could also decorate a cake in superhero red, white, and blue, and buy an inexpensive package of superhero cake toppers or figurines.  The kids will love it, and it is an easy and inexpensive option for you.

A super time will be had by all when you create a superhero-themed birthday party.

More Birthday Party Ideas:

• Littlest Pet Shop Birthday Party Theme
• Thomas The Train Birthday Party Theme
• Disney Princess Birthday Party Theme
• Elmo Birthday Party Theme

It used to be that birthday parties were simple. Mom would bake a cake and a few kids would gather at the child’s home to ride bikes or play outside. Today’s birthday parties hardly resemble the good old days. Today’s kids expect to have their party at an arcade, a bowling alley, a themed restaurant with play land, or a skating rink. What can you do if an elaborate off-site party is not in the budget for your family? You can host it at home!

A party that you host at home can be even more fun than one where you pay several dollars per head. You get to control the atmosphere, the noise level, the food, the games, the birthday gifts and more. Everyone has a good time and it didn’t cost you a week’s salary.

Depending on how old your child is, she may not even notice a difference between her party’s location (your home) and her friend Brittany’s party (Chuck E. Cheese’s). If you are blessed with small children, you will find that they love a party anytime anywhere. So, hosting at home is not a big issue.

If you have a tween who still wants a birthday party but fears it won’t be cool enough if it’s held at home, have a nice conversation about it. Sit your child down and say that you would like to give him the option of having a birthday party at home or taking one friend out to dinner with you.  He will feel he has had a choice in his own birthday. And either way, it will cost you less than a big party on location somewhere.

Realize that you control the guest list. You don’t have to have the entire fourth grade at your house for the party. Limit the number of guests to an amount you can reasonably handle. If you say it’s six kids and no more, then you will feel comfortable when party day arrives.

Make everything that you can. That includes the cake, cupcakes, dips, homemade pizza, and more. You don’t have to have a Thanksgiving feast. A small number of finger foods and a cake is enough. If you are going light, be sure to write on the invitation “snacks and cake” so moms know to feed their children before they come. Nothing is worse than a hungry toddler who cries through the whole party.

Save on the fancy decorations. If SpongeBob is on your child’s wish list, use yellow napkins, a yellow sheet as a table cover, yellow plastic forks and yellow cups. Then, bring in one or two SpongeBob balloons. Your child will feel like it’s a SpongeBob party if the theme is there somehow.

As far as birthday party favors, think homemade. Give out bags of homemade chocolate chip cookies. Or, raid the dollar store and go with age appropriate small trinkets. If you feel even that’s going to put you over budget, go without favors.

Splurge to make the best cake possible and get some good ice cream to go with it. That’s what everyone will remember anyway. And teach your child that it’s not about how much money you spend, but whether or not you are with friends and family and having fun. Other moms may breathe a sigh of relief that they no longer have to keep up with the Joneses either. Set the standard for the inexpensive, but fun, party and you will see others follow suit.

A few other things you can do is to make decorations out of things you already have in your home. Use candy and sequins as a festive addition to the main table. Children’s toys like stuffed bears can be placed around the room to give a cohesive teddy bear theme. Dolls work well, too.

Instead of feeling like you have to entertain everyone with games and elaborate prizes, let kids be kids. Let them run around or play Pin the Tail on the Donkey or Twister. Skip the prizes or go with small trinkets or stickers or home made lollipops.

More on Kids Parties:

• Cheap Kids Birthday Party Ideas
• 50 Best Games For Kids
• 5 Step Birthday Party Planning for Kids
• Summer Fun Recipes for Kids